More than 200 galleries and artists presented their works at the Art Russia fair.

On April 3, the Art Russia fair started in Gostiny Dvor in Moscow. It contains works of absolutely different styles and eras — from Soviet to modern themes. More than 200 galleries and artists from all over the world presented their paintings, both young talents and recognized masters.

The participants of the exhibition are surprised by their shapes and colors, and Nizhny Novgorod street art artist Ilya Spich is also surprised by their size. His image of Red Square is one of the most notable — a canvas measuring 5.5 by 1.5 m.

"I have even more. The largest is more than a thousand square meters long. I've been holding back lately," he clarified.

In many ways, this exhibition promises to be a record-breaking one. First of all, in terms of the number of applications for participation, more than 5,000 have submitted them.

"This is the sixth time this fair has been held, and this year it is the largest. More than 200 gallery owners and independent artists presented their works here in Gostiny Dvor," said Ksenia Soldatova, a correspondent for Izvestia.

Guests can also see paintings by the artist Vladimir Volk. His works are in the Tretyakov Gallery, in private collections in Russia and abroad. The wolf is called a master of metaphysical reinterpretation, when it is not the form that is more important, but the feelings of what he sees.

Irina Volk, the official representative of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, presented her father's paintings at the exhibition. She saw how these canvases were created.

"He took me to plein-airs, he said that landscapes and still lifes should be painted from nature. He always told me how to choose colors, what he drew inspiration from. He loved the old Moscow streets very much, in general, he loved Moscow very much, he was inspired by construction," she said.

Lie if you can: what to see at the Art Russia Fair

The exhibition will run in Gostiny Dvor from 3 to 6 April.

This year's special theme is "Cultural Diplomacy". The exhibition features pavilions of artists from Latin America and the Middle East. For the first time, the Persian section is represented here.

"Contemporary artists from Iran participate in international exhibitions and auctions. Their works are the best—selling among all artists from the Middle East," said Masoud Ahmadvand, Cultural Adviser at the Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Iran and head of the Iranian Cultural Center in Russia.

According to the organizers, the transformation that various industries have experienced in recent years has had a positive impact on contemporary art. A kind of import substitution has also taken place here.

"If we talk about the Russian market, then, despite the restrictions, it is developing quite well. Young, unknown authors, they show themselves. This is a chance for them," said Vadim Lobov, co–founder of the Art Russia fair.

This fair can set a record for the number of guests. — There are more than 50 thousand of them waiting here. Russia's largest contemporary art fair will be open in Gostiny Dvor until April 6.